Question 1

An assertion that something is or is not the case is…
A) A conclusion
B) A statement
C) An argument
D) An attitude

Accepted Answer

A statement is an expression or assertion that something is or is not the case, typically presented in a declarative form.

Question 2

The systematic evaluation or formulation of beliefs by rational standards is known as…
A) Explanatory hypotheses
B) Traditional beliefs
C) Creative thinking
D) Critical thinking

Accepted Answer

Critical thinking involves the evaluation or formulation of beliefs based on rational standards, emphasizing logical reasoning and evidence over tradition or conjecture.

Question 3

The following sentence is a statement…
A) You are here for a reason.
B) Turn that music off.
C) Stop doing that.
D) Is this guy for real?

Accepted Answer

A statement is a type of sentence that expresses an assertion, viewpoint, or opinion. "You are here for a reason." is an assertion, making it a statement.

Question 4

A statement (or statements) supposedly providing reasons for accepting another statement is known as…
A) A conclusion
B) A premise
C) A statement
D) An argument

Accepted Answer

An argument is a statement (or statements) supposedly providing reasons for accepting another statement.

Question 5

The statements given in support of another statement are called the…
A) Assertions
B) Premises
C) Answers
D) Conclusion

Accepted Answer

Premises are statements or propositions that are given in support of another statement that will be concluded or derived from them. They form the basis upon which a conclusion is drawn in logical reasoning or argumentation.

Question 6

This process of reasoning from a premise or premises to a conclusion based on those premises is called …
A) Hypothetical
B) Premise
C) Inference
D) Judgment

Accepted Answer

Inference is the process of reasoning from one or more statements (premises) to reach a logically certain conclusion.

Question 7

Words that frequently accompany arguments and signal that a premise or conclusion is present are known as…
A) Indicator words
B) Premises
C) Indicator verbs
D) Argument components

Accepted Answer

Indicator words are terms that signal the presence of premises or conclusions within arguments, helping to identify the structure of the argument.

Question 8

Probably the best advice for anyone trying to uncover or dissect arguments is…
A) Find the premises first
B) Paraphrase the argument
C) Determine the truth of premises
D) Find the conclusion first

Accepted Answer

Finding the conclusion first helps to understand what the argument is trying to prove, making it easier to identify and evaluate the supporting premises.

Question 9

When you show why or how something is the way it is, you are…
A) Stating an argument
B) Offering an explanation
C) Showing that a statement cannot be proved
D) Showing that a statement is in dispute

Accepted Answer

Offering an explanation involves providing reasons or justifications for why or how something is the way it is, which directly matches the description given.

Question 10

Persuading people to agree with you is not the same thing as …
A) Influencing them
B) Presenting them with a good argument
C) Changing their minds
D) Swaying them

Accepted Answer

Presenting someone with a good argument doesn't necessarily mean you've persuaded them to agree with you; it's just one step in the process of persuasion. Persuasion often involves emotional appeal, trust-building, and other factors beyond just a logical argument.

Question 11

An argument intended to provide logically conclusive support for its conclusion is …
A) Inductive
B) Analogical
C) Deductive
D) Invalid

Accepted Answer

Deductive arguments are designed to provide logically conclusive support for their conclusion, meaning if the premises are true, the conclusion must also be true.

Question 12

An argument intended to provide probable support for its conclusion is…
A) Deductive
B) Inductive
C) Strong
D) Invalid

Accepted Answer

An argument that is intended to provide probable support for its conclusion, rather than guaranteeing it, is characterized as inductive. Inductive reasoning involves making generalizations based on specific observations.

Question 13

A deductive argument that succeeds in providing logically conclusive support is said to be…
A) Cogent
B) Strong
C) Valid
D) Persuasive

Accepted Answer

A deductive argument that succeeds in providing logically conclusive support for its conclusion is said to be valid. This means that if the premises are true, the conclusion must also be true.

Question 14

In most extended argumentative passages…
A) Premises and conclusions make up a large portion of the total wordage
B) Premises and conclusions make up only a small portion of the total wordage
C) Premises and conclusions are usually clearly labeled
D) Premises and conclusions are equal in number

Accepted Answer

In extended argumentative passages, the premises and conclusions are often supported by additional explanations, examples, and elaborations, making them a smaller portion of the total wordage.

Question 15

A central goal of higher education is to enable students to…
A) Justify preconceived notions
B) Avoid questioning cultural beliefs
C) Discard strongly held ideas
D) Think critically and carefully for themselves

Accepted Answer

The central goal of higher education is to foster an environment where students can develop the ability to think critically and carefully for themselves, rather than reinforcing pre-existing biases or discouraging the questioning of cultural beliefs. Critical thinking involves analyzing and evaluating an issue in order to form a judgment, which is a fundamental aspect of higher learning.

Question 16

The kind of inference with this form-Phenomenon Q, E provides the best explanation for Q, therefore, it is probable that E is true-is known as …
A) Inference to the best explanation
B) Deductive argument
C) Analogical argument
D) Scientific reasoning

Accepted Answer

Inference to the best explanation is a form of reasoning where one concludes that, among various hypotheses, the one that best explains a particular phenomenon is likely to be true. This contrasts with deductive and analogical arguments, or the broader category of scientific reasoning, which may use different forms of inference.

Question 17

The criterion of adequacy that says all things being equal, the best explanation is the one that fits best with what is already known or established is called. …
A) Simplicity
B) Fruitfulness
C) Consistency
D) Conservatism

Accepted Answer

Conservatism in the context of criteria of adequacy refers to the principle that the best explanation is the one that is most consistent with existing knowledge and well-established facts. This criterion values explanations that do not require us to revise our understanding of the world more than necessary.

Question 18

A massive amount of persuasive writing contains …
A) No words
B) No opinions
C) No arguments
D) No views

Accepted Answer

Persuasive writing inherently contains arguments as it aims to convince the reader of a particular point of view or action.

Question 19

The first step in evaluating arguments embedded in extended passages is to…
A) Study the text until you thoroughly understand it.
B) Identify the speaker
C) Find the nonarguments
D) Identify the premises

Accepted Answer

The first step in evaluating arguments within extended passages is to thoroughly understand the text, as this understanding is foundational to identifying the argument's structure, premises, and conclusions.

Question 20

When we reason that two or more things are similar in several ways, therefore, they are probably similar in one further way, we are using…
A) Deductive logic
B) Analogical induction
C) Inference to the best explanation
D) Enumerative induction

Accepted Answer

Analogical induction involves reasoning that because two or more things are similar in several respects, they are likely to be similar in another, specific respect as well.

Quiz 2: Claims, Reasons, and Arguments

An assertion that something is or is not the case is…

The systematic evaluation or formulation of beliefs by rational standards is known as…

The following sentence is a statement…

A statement (or statements) supposedly providing reasons for accepting another statement is known as…

The statements given in support of another statement are called the…

This process of reasoning from a premise or premises to a conclusion based on those premises is called …

Words that frequently accompany arguments and signal that a premise or conclusion is present are known as…

Probably the best advice for anyone trying to uncover or dissect arguments is…

When you show why or how something is the way it is, you are…

Persuading people to agree with you is not the same thing as …

An argument intended to provide logically conclusive support for its conclusion is …

An argument intended to provide probable support for its conclusion is…

A deductive argument that succeeds in providing logically conclusive support is said to be…

In most extended argumentative passages…

A central goal of higher education is to enable students to…

The kind of inference with this form-Phenomenon Q, E provides the best explanation for Q, therefore, it is probable that E is true-is known as …

The criterion of adequacy that says all things being equal, the best explanation is the one that fits best with what is already known or established is called. …

A massive amount of persuasive writing contains …

The first step in evaluating arguments embedded in extended passages is to…

When we reason that two or more things are similar in several ways, therefore, they are probably similar in one further way, we are using…